May

Crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, falafel is arguably one of the best vegan meals. Though it is oftentimes served in a pita wrap or atop a bed of greens, these falafel balls are light enough that they can be eaten completely on their own, making for the perfect midnight snack.

Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas along with onions, parsley, cilantro, salt, cayenne, garlic, and cumin in a blender. Process until you have a chunky paste. Chunks add great texture but too many will keep the mixture from holding its shape!

Place the mixture in a bowl and sprinkle in the baking powder. Begin to add the flour, 2 Tbsp at a time, until the dough is cohesive enough to form a small ball.

Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.

Heat oil in a deep pot and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

Apr

If you’re as tired of Beta’s jungle juice as the rest of us – be it how often they run out, its disappointing taste, or the fact that they still use vodka in 2018 (Grow up, guys. Come on.) – never fear. One of Bwog’s many talents, bested only by humor, is alcoholic debauchery (which, for the record, we do not condone for those underage readers). Bwog has the only punch recipe you’ll need and just in time for summer.

Sprite (optional, doesn’t really contribute anything. Just a matter of whether you like that slight tang.)

Grenadine syrup (also optional. Mostly for people who like to get fancy.)

Pour/mix rum into a large container, usually between a quarter to half of the container size, depending on how much liquor you want. You won’t be able to taste it anyway so it’s merely a matter of how lit you’re trying to get. Add pineapple juice. Bwog recommends this be the highest proportion of juice added. Mix the mango nectar in, followed by a few splashes of orange juice. Pour grenadine in for coloring or Sprite for an added crisp. Add a few orange slices if you’re into presentation or whatever – this isn’t Chopped. Serve chilled.

Apr

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again– eggs are amazing little self-contained ovoids of golden glory. Plus, they’re cheap and versatile. So, on a weekly basis, the number of eggs I consume would boggle your mind. A lot of people I know hate eggs, BUT that is only because they don’t know their preferred cooking method. Ya see, you got sunny-side up, scrambled, poached, over-easy, over-medium, and over-hard (to be honest, I don’t really understand the appeal of this last one). We’re going to start off with an easy one: the omelet. The only thing you have to remember about cooking your omelet is that nice and slow wins the race. It will keep your eggs light and fluffy, rather than flat and burned.

This Bwogger eats this veggie-cream cheese on the reg.

Alright, first things first: whisk together some eggs (about 2-3) with a few splashes of milk, a few grinds of salt, and some cracks of pepper. Heat up a large/medium cast iron skillet and oil the pan with butter or olive oil. Keep the heat to medium-low and have patience. Add whatever fillings you want to the egg-milk mixture (minus additionally dairy products or avocado). Pour egg-filling into the pan. Let the mixture set a little bit and then, using a fork, lift the edges of the egg pancake and tilt the pan, letting uncooked juices run to the edges. Do this a few different times, until the omelet is light and fluffy. Add cheese, avocado (basically anything that melts or is really soft) on top of the omelet and let it heat up. Fold one side of the omelet over the other and flip your omelet for good measure. Then top with more salt and pepper and enjoy.

Apr

If you’ve made the splurge on ~real maple syrup~ and not just the Log Cabin sticky goo, this is a perfect way to justify it– using it in a delicious, healthy dinner! The proportions listed for the sauce is a pretty rough estimate– taste away and see whether you want it sweeter/spicier/etc. Maple Soy Tofu, adapted from Bon Appetit

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. When oil is rippling across the surface, carefully add tofu so it doesn’t splash. Cook, undisturbed, until very crisp and dark brown underneath, 3–4 minutes. Carefully turn and repeat on opposite side. Holding tofu back with a spatula or slotted spoon, pour out oil into a small bowl.DO NOT POUR OIL DOWN THE DRAIN! I REPEAT, DO NOT POUR THE OIL DOWN THE DRAIN or you’ll ruin your sink!

With that aside, return the skillet to medium-high heat and add soy sauce mixture. Cook, reducing heat to medium until glaze is thick enough to coat a spoon, about 4 minutes.

Serve over rice and sprinkle with scallions! Look at you, you god/goddess of health!

Apr

Oh, Prezbo– it’s finally here. Spring is in the air and I am throwing up my arms and pretending that finals aren’t right around the corner. In my typical fashion, I have been off enjoying the weather and good food– like this veggie stir fry– rather than doing actual work. Please procrastinate with me and enjoy a simple, home-cooked meal– taking comfort in the fact it that costs basically nothing, while still managing to taste delicious.

DIRECTIONSHeat up a large skillet with oil, soy sauce, miso, sweetener, chili flakes and water/broth. I use about a 1-1-1 ratio with the oil, miso and sweetener and then add in the soy sauce, chili flakes and water/broth to taste. (The great thing about this recipe is that it’s super easy to adjust the flavors. Fry your minced ginger until sizzling and then add your vegetables.) Cook until tender. Add the rice to reheat and meld all of the flavors together. Top with a fried egg and your other favorite toppings– like sriracha and kimchi.

*I would just like to take a moment to give a shout-out to the humble egg. It goes with basically anything and is a super easy way to amp up your protein intake without spending a ton of money. Plus, it’s just delicious– especially when you get that golden runny yolk that just makes everything so creamy.

Apr

I’m just gonna go ahead and say it: the Quaker oatmeal cups are not that good. Once you taste this creamy, thick oatmeal, you will not want to go back to your sad microwaved cup of watery sugar. It’s easier, more cost-effective, and you can customize it with whatever toppings you have on hand.

Recipe:

You can make it in any quantity—I recommend making lots then storing for reheating—and all you need are oats and liquid in a 1:2 ratio. For your liquid component, you can use cream or whole milk if you want a richer flavor, dairy milk substitute, or water.

Add oats and liquids to medium size saucepan on medium heat. Allow to come to a low boil, then turn heat down low. Start stirring—this is the tiring part of the recipe, but you must keep stirring while the oats break down slowly or they’ll stick to the bottom of the pan and burn! If it starts looking gummy, add more liquid. This recipe is all about patience—it won’t turn into the oatmeal we know and love for at least 10 minutes. So keep stirring the oats on low heat until the oats are totally soft and thick. Be sure to taste to make sure it isn’t crunchy or chewy!
Then serve immediately topping with whatever you have on hand. If you eat dairy, add a huge pat of butter to your bowl and stir it in until it melts. Here’s a list of our favorite toppings:
Maple syrup
Butter Fresh berriesFruit compote (using CWB’s recipe!)
Brown sugar
Sliced nuts
Nutella (trust me)
Cinnamon
Apples

Apr

C’mon, Mother Nature– where did that beautiful Saturday sunshine go??? To chase away those cloudy-day blues, whip up this super easy chocolate-tahini tart with sea salt from (yep, you guessed it) Alison Roman’s Dining In cookbook. It takes practically no time to prepare and sounds really sophisticated. Plus, you know, it’s DIVINE! Feel free to sub out the tahini with some other nut or seed butter- we know it’d be good with some classic Jif peanut butter, too.

The FillingIngredients10 oz bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces (whether they be morsels, chips or squares, it doesn’t matter)
⅔ cup tahini/almond butter/peanut butter/any kind of nut or seed butter
Pinch of kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup honey
Flaky sea salt (not too coarse!) or any other kind of crunchy topping that you desireDirectionsCombine chocolate, tahini and salt in a medium bowl.
Heat the cream and honey in a small saucepan until simmering (do not let it boil!) and then pour it over the chocolate-tahini-salt mixture.
Using a spoon/spatula, blend until everything is well mixed, melted, and shiny.
Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and smooth the top. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt or other desired toppings.
Let this sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or until the filling has settled.

Apr

Delicious and versatile, butternut squash is one of Bwog’s favorite vegetables, not to mention one of the easiest to prepare. Though it may be getting warmer out, you can never go wrong with a spicy soup. This silky-smooth, vegetarian soup can be served both hot and cold, making for a perfect weeknight meal.

Apr

As you might’ve guessed, Cooking With Bwog is a huge fan of all things Alison Roman. Her recipes are easy, adaptable and consist of available, everyday ingredients– ideal for a college student juggling classes, clubs, housing and all the other chaos. So, check out this Honey-Yogurt Pound Cake with Raspberries from Dining In! It’s indestructible, so there’s no way you can mess it up.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉
Grease a loaf pan with softened butter.
In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt together.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, honey, yogurt, oil and eggs. Gently fold in the flour mixture, taking care not to overmix. Then, add in the berries (Bwog opted for the original raspberries).
Flatten and smooth the top of the batter with a spatula.
Bake for 60-70 minutes (rotating halfway through the cooking time) until the cake is golden brown and springs back when pressed in the center.
Cool completely! before removing it from the pan.

Apr

What could make a brownie more special? How about putting it in a flourless cake form and covering it with creamy frosting? That’s what we are thinking. Here’s a super easy, Passover friendly recipe that will disappear from your kitchen in 24 hours.

Apr

Spring! Sprang! Sprung! Now that it’s Spring (?), at least for now, dive into this dreamy, moist-af Lemon Velvet Cake with Bright Buttercream Frosting. Take a slice (or ten) to Riverside Park and bask in the glorious sunshine.

Mar

With all of the holidays fast approaching, Bwog is classin’ it up for this week’s main course. On the menu for today is Miso-Dijon Oven-Baked Salmon with all of the roasted veggies on the side. As for roasting veggies, start with a base of olive oil, salt and pepper, then add whatever other spices you like. Sesame-cinnamon, maple syrup-chili flakes, rosemary-thyme: the possibilities are endless.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300℉.
Line baking sheet with salmon. Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 12-16 minutes, until salmon is opaque and firm in the middle.
While salmon is cooking, whisk together the remaining ingredients (adjusting amounts to taste).
Once salmon is thoroughly cooked, let sit for a couple of minutes to rest. Then, lather fillet with dressing and serve with roasted vegetables.

Mar

This Bwogger has held the Nutella Stuffed-Browned Butter- Chocolate Chunk- Sea Salt Cookies near and dear to her heart for a very long time. They have made grown adults cry tears of joy, resulted in ceasefires and calmed the most rowdy of small gremlins (aka the children I babysit). These are THE cookies for every occasion.

Mar

Looking for a way to one-up your friend that studied abroad in Rome and won’t stop talking about how good the carbonara was? Here’s a healthier twist on the classic comfort dish that can also be tweaked for vegetarians and vegans. I cooked this over break and it was so delicious that I lost all my dignity and started eating the sauce straight from the blender with a spoon.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta or mushrooms, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8–10 minutes. Add sage and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta and sage to a small bowl; set aside.

Add squash, onion, and garlic to skillet; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 8–10 minutes. Add broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until squash is soft and liquid is reduced by half, 15–20 minutes. Pour into blender and puree until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Add cheese, blend again until combined in a creamy sauce. Taste it, make sure the ratios of salt, pepper, cheese, and sage are to your liking, and adjust as necessary. Pour over cooked pasta and add reserved pancetta and sage.To serve, add more shaved cheese and crumbled sage.

Mar

Welcome back to reality, Bwoggers. Well, I’m sure some of you went to warm and sunny places like Cancun or the Bahamas over break, but sadly, spring has not yet graced New York City. So, to keep yourself nice and toasty this week, consider making some gooey, cheesy, just damn delicious Eggplant Parmesan.